Hi. I made a batch of venison summer sausage a week ago, came out perfect. This next time I only added more cheese and peppers, not too church more. It came out pasty. I let my first batch sit 24 hours in fridge before smoke. Second only sat a couple hours. What makes venison summer sausage come out pasty and more crumbly?
I use 4-1 ratio venison to pork butt heavy fat trimmed. Smoke 120 for an hour, 140 for an hour, 160 half hour, and 185 until internal temp was 156. Pulled and cooled overnight. Master chef electric smoker.
Thanks in advance
Rj

I also did a third batch, that was done exactly like the first batch, 24 hour curing, but with a 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup worchestershire, instead of a half a cup water. Came out pasty and easy to break apart.

I don't have casings, but I didn't the first batch either.

I guess I need to know things that can cause it to be pasty.

I used 4 TBS Adolphs Tenderizer (Tender Quick equivalent),

2 tsp Liquid Smoke,

2 tsp mustard seed,

1/2 tsp onion powder,

1 tsp garlic powder,

4 tsp cracked pepper,

3/4 lb Cheese

6 small (4 large) jalapeno.

Smoked based on the temps above, and only opened the door a couple times.

Not enough fat and too high on your heat is what I'm leaning towards. Not enough fat already has the potential for your sausage to be dry. Too high of a temperature tends to cook out the fat that you do have.

I like to do an 80/20 meat to fat with no trimming on the butt. To get this, I basically do 50% venison in weight to 50% pork butt.

To smoke I do the following:

120° for 2 hours, no smoke

After 2 hours, bump to 130° and add smoke

Each 30 minutes, bump the temp up 10 degrees until you get to 170°

Hold at 170° until you reach an internal temperature of 152°.

To help prevent wrinkling of the casing, I drop the sausages directly from the smoker, into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.

You may also want to add some non fat dry milk to the seasoning mix for some moisture retention.

I also did a third batch, that was done exactly like the first batch, 24 hour curing, but with a 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup worchestershire, instead of a half a cup water. Came out pasty and easy to break apart.

I don't have casings, but I didn't the first batch either.

I guess I need to know things that can cause it to be pasty.

I used 4 TBS Adolphs Tenderizer (Tender Quick equivalent), 2 totally different critters! Not the same!

2 tsp Liquid Smoke,

2 tsp mustard seed,

1/2 tsp onion powder,

1 tsp garlic powder,

4 tsp cracked pepper,

3/4 lb Cheese

6 small (4 large) jalapeno.

Smoked based on the temps above, and only opened the door a couple times.

It was warmer outside the first time, colder the second.

Help!!

Thanks

Rj

Meat tenderizer is NOT a substitute for Tender Quick or any other meat curing agent!

I cant seem to find Mortons Tender Quick Cure any more, will have to search for some online I guess. Thanks for that..

I didn't use casings on these batches, but I have some on order. I will take a pic of the meat this evening when I get home.

Thanks for the help. I will use your temp timings next time.

First I have to down another deer :)

Thanks again CB.

Rj

Please, let us assist you in the next sausage venture. When you are warm smoking meats for a long period, the meat stays in the danger zone (40°-140°) way too long to be safe. To prevent pathogens from growing in this environment, you have to use a cure of some sort. I use cure #1 for my SS, and you should be able to get some from where you ordered your casings from.

The meat can sit in the freezer for a few days until cure and casings come in. Sausage making isn't something that can be rushed.

I will, and thank you very much. I can smoke regular meat pretty darn good, including whole deer hams, but I'm new to smoking summer sausage. Make a great Breakfast sausage as well. SS is my project to conquer!! lol.

I'm pretty sure that the lack of any curing at all is a big deal here in my pastiness of the last two small batches.

My very first batch may have used Tenderquick (Morton) I had in another jar, but I know the second two I used Adolphs.

I cant find Tenderquick at the stores anymore, so I'm going to order some like you suggested.

I'm on that now!!

Thanks a bunch CrankyBuzzard, and I take no offense.. preach on. I need to learn.

Also, in a batch of 5 pounds, how much powerdered milk would you suggest?

Thanks

For 5 pounds of meat, I'd add around 1/2 a cup of NFDM for SS. For normal smoked sausages, I use 1/2 to 1 full cup.

The best way I've found to get it evenly into the meat is to mix it in with your liquids before adding to the meat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smoking Rj

Thanks Bmaddox. Yes.. I found it and ordered 12 pounds (6 - 2# packages). Not going to try and do like I thought Adolphs was.

In a week or so I'm going to try this venture again. SO.. CrankyBuzzard, I may have you on alert LOL.

I am also going to do some Bratwurst. No smoking involved, but the beer brat, venison style, just sounds good.

Alert away! PM me if I don't see a thread you have a question on.

This forum has a LOT of knowledge on it. I've only been a member for a couple of years, but I have learned A LOT about smoking and sausage making in that short time. I've been doing BBQ and sausage since I was in my teens and doing it the way my old man taught me, well, a lot of what I knew was incorrect, the good folks here helped me, so now it's my turn.